NATCHEZ — The vision of a comprehensive rural transportation system for southwest Mississippi became a little clearer Friday in Natchez.

Federal, state and local officials cut a ribbon in front of the newly constructed Natchez Regional Transit Center and Maintenance Facility at 127 Wood Ave. to mark the completion of the building.

Natchez Transit System Executive Director Sabrena Bartley said the facility will connect “students and staff to schools, employees to employers, citizens to services, tourists to attractions, advertisers to new customers and consumers to commercial venues.”

“It is a great vision: the vision of a comprehensive community transportation provider serving the needs of Natchez-Adams County and the southwest Mississippi region through a network of community partnerships while efficiently connecting people to everyday life,” Bartley said.

MDOT Office of Intermodal Planning Director Charles Carr said the facility is just one part of a larger strategy to improve rural transportation in Mississippi.

“It is a quality of life issue,” he said. “It is an economic development issue.”

Mississippi Department of Transportation Commissioner Tom King said transportation is a key component of economic development.

“Transportation equals economic development … and that means jobs, jobs and more jobs,” he said.

Representative Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, who is chair of the House Transportation Committee, said for every dollar spent on transportation, $3 is returned in the form of employment, energy savings and other ways.

Johnson said it is no surprise that Natchez is leading the way in rural transportation.

“I’ve always said that we are the little city that thinks it’s a big city,” he said. “It’s no wonder we’re on the cutting edge … we’re going to be the model.”

The state-of-the-art facility, which NTS is scheduled to move into next month, will allow NTS to expand its service area and incorporate park-and-ride routes carrying out-of-town passengers with new fixed routes in the city that will have designated stops and fixed schedules. She said NTS will be the lead agency at the facility and will be able to work with and coordinate services with other transportation providers.

The facility will house offices for NTS, as well as  other transportation providers, such as a limousine service or other public transportation systems, Bartley said.

The two-story, 9,000 square foot building includes space for maintenance and storage of about 30 transit vehicles, a park-and-ride lot and public waiting areas where transit riders can purchase tickets and get schedule information. The Natchez Transit System provides about 70,000 rides annually and will be coordinating with other transit providers in the region to expand transportation services available to riders at the facility.

The transit facility, its equipment, as well as two recently purchased trolleys, a commuter bus and two other passenger vehicles, are being funded by a $3 million federal stimulus package through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

MDOT is providing $900,000 in funds to help pay for approximately $1 million in unforeseen costs for the facility.

The city will also have to pay approximately $200,000 in matching funds for the grant.